YouMee Vegas Mall — Restaurant in Dwarka

A much-needed review after Zomato. Now that I have calmed down, strap on, kids, and no, it’s not a rage-fueled bite from someone who has no culinary education. I’ve had ramen at prominent restaurants across Vancouver, Toronto, and San Francisco, all run by local Japanese chefs, so I know what I'm about to say.

I was willing to give a proper review, but the server ticked me the hell off! When I showed her MY phone that the bill had been paid, she had the never-before-seen audacity to tap a 5-star rating without so much as a by-your-leave, said her name and then dismissed the conversation like I was doing HER a favour! Never in my 15 years of working in the hospitality industry have I come across such entitlement. Clearly, she operates under the delusion that pressing five stars is equivalent to a Michelin endorsement, not a desperate plea for a better Zomato average.

​But let's not let the front-of-house fiasco distract from the kitchen's crimes against humanity. First, the 'spicy pork dumplings.' Calling them 'dumplings' is an insult to dough everywhere. The meat was so poorly minced, it was less a filling and more a geological survey of various pork textures. These flimsy abominations were tearing from the bottom the minute you picked them up, gushing their sad, unseasoned contents onto the basket. I had to resort to using a spoon to salvage what little structural integrity they possessed – a spoon, for a dumpling! We've officially entered the culinary absurd.

​Then came the ramen. Oh, the ramen. The minute that bowl hit the table, I snapped a picture and sent it to my fiancé with the ominous caption: 'This does not look right.' And 'not right' was an understatement of cosmic proportions. It lacked umami, the very soul of ramen, probably because it was too busy crying in a corner.

The pork? Not cooked properly.

The very definition of a 'fillet' demands tender, juicy perfection, yet what I received was a leather-bound edition of a pig. The inedible skin wasn't just left on, it created a gum-like texture that turned every bite into a wrestling match. I spent more time chewing those pork pieces than I did waiting for my actual meal.

​ALSO, WHO ADDS ASPARAGUS TO A RAMEN! Someone with Japanese heritage is weeping around the world! It's like they took a cuisine renowned for its meticulous perfection and delicate balance, and then, in a fit of inexplicable culinary madness, dragged it down to an 'Indian level,' bastardizing it to fit some vague, misguided trend.

This isn't innovation, it's cultural vandalism with a side of undercooked pig. Avoid at all costs, unless your idea of a good meal involves feeling personally offended by every...

For years, I have yearned (and hunted high and low) for a decent sushi/ Japanese food joint in Dwarka (and one for which one didn't have to go all the way to Aerocity). Going by our lunch today at YouMee, Vegas Mall, Sector 14, Dwarka, perhaps my search has ended.

Food aside (I'll come to that in a monent), what struck me was the decor. Right from all the Japanese hentai/ manga cartoons (featuring Naruto, among other characters) across all the walls to the printed paper table mats with games and sketches for kids to even the retro 80s/ 90s music (I heard Avril Lavigne's Complicated and Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now by Starship after a long time - and liked it to much that I sang along to both the songs), it was Japanese pop culture all the way - and I, for one, really liked it.

Coming to the food, we ordered the miso shiru soup (seafood version), prawn tempura (sushi) roll, chicken ramen, spicy Bangkok fried rice (prawn version) and a coconut and palm jaggery pudding for dessert. All the dishes were good - and had the right balance of subtle taste and texture. We specially enjoyed the miso soup which came with a side helping of crackers/ fries (our son really liked this), the chicken ramen (which was made non-spicy at our request - and yet was tasty enough) and the coconut and palm jaggery pudding (which had a surprisingly thick, slightly sticky consistency and an amazing slightly-sweet-and-slightly-sour taste, courtesy the lemongrass). I also enjoyed what I'd originally gone there for - the sushi (ebi/ prawns tempura roll). The spicy Bangkok fried rice was also nice with 3 fried prawns - though slightly more spicy than I would have liked.

A special shout out to Arun, Hemant and the rest of the crew for their nice and attentive service (Hemant, for example, was instrumental in getting the taste of the miso soup and chicken ramen just right for our son - non-spicy yet tasty - so hats off to him for that).

Yes, it's slightly premium - with the final bill coming to INR 3500 for the 3 of us.

But the whole experience was worth it - so a hearty 'arigato gozaimasu' to YouMee, Vegas Mall, Dwarka for that. A suggestion for the YouMee Dwrka crew - do try and incorporate some more standard Japanese items like Poke Bowls and Bento Boxes/ Meals into the menu.

But above all, keep up the good work -...

Visited YouMee at Vegas Mall, Dwarka for a relaxed lunch and I must say, it was a pleasant experience overall. This was my first time at this particular outlet, although I’ve been a regular at a few other YouMee locations before—and I’m happy to report that this one lived up to the brand’s reputation.

The ambience was warm and inviting, with a chic, contemporary setup that makes you want to sit back and take your time. The staff was extremely courteous, attentive without being intrusive, and ensured that the service flowed smoothly throughout.

I started with a Mango Bubble Tea and an Oreo Chocolate Shake, both of which were refreshing and well-prepared. For appetizers, I went with the Cheese Cream & Chili Oil Dumplings, which were packed with flavor and had just the right balance of heat. I also tried the Sriracha Sushi and another sushi roll (the name escapes me), both of which were fresh, well-rolled, and delicious.

For mains, I ordered a simple plate of Egg Noodles that was comforting and satisfying. I wrapped up my meal with the Dorayaki Pancake for dessert. Unfortunately, that didn’t quite hit the mark for me—the texture and flavor didn’t quite match the rest of the dishes.

That said, everything else was spot-on, and I’d definitely return—especially for the sushi and dumplings. A solid experience that reaffirmed why I like this...